This invention relates to range hoods, and more particularly to the collection and disposal of grease accumulated within, and to access to, the motor housing.
Range hoods are used above cooking surfaces to remove grease, common odors and hazardous gases created during the cooking process. Typically, range hoods have a pair of motors horizontally installed in a motor housing within the hood body. Each motor drives a fan. The fans suck air from the cooking area below and force it through the motor housing to ventilation piping.
As the vaporized grease contained in the entrained air travels through the motor housing, some of it condenses on the inside walls of the housing from where the shaping of the walls and floor of the housing directs the grease to a circular grease catcher mounted below each fan opening. Grease catchers are known in the art as illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,216,686 B1 and 5,537,988.
Grease catchers are also adapted to capture any grease that drips off the fan blades when the motors are turned off. Typically, the grease catcher has radial inner and outer trays with a wall separating them. The wall extends vertically so as to be almost flush with the lower edge of the outer circumference of the fan. In this way air being drawn in by the fans is compelled to enter the motor housing rather than the hood body. The wall therefore acts to control the air currents of the range hood.
The grease catchers are usually provided with an inclined base or floor, so as to direct accumulated grease to a hole in the floor. A hose is attached to the hole to convey the grease to a grease receptacle outside the range hood.
The motor housing and grease catchers are mounted within the hood body. Openings in the lower surface of the hood body are positioned so as to match those of the motor housing. Typically the lower surface of the hood body is removably fitted into the main hood body. A protective grill is attached to the outside of each opening in the hood body so as to prevent the insertion of body parts when the fan is in operation.
One disadvantage of the foregoing system of motor housing and grease catchers is that in order to clean the interior of the range hood, a user must first remove the lower surface of the hood body, following which the grease catcher must then be removed. This can be quite awkward and is difficult for those without the strength to hold the weight of the lower surface.
Furthermore, because the grease catchers extend below the motor housing, the size of the hood body must be sufficient to accommodate them. The cost of materials for the production of the range hood is therefore high. The resulting range hood also takes up a large amount of space, both when installed, and when being stored or shipped, such that storage and shipping costs are high.
Furthermore, in order to increase the suction power of the range hood either the size of the fan must be increased or its speed of rotation. Both changes have undesirable consequences. To increase the size of the fan, the range hood would also have to increase in size, leading to the deficiencies outlined above. Increased rotation would cause increased noise, which is not desirable.
It is therefore an object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a range hood in which the grease is captured within the confines of the motor housing such that the size of the range hood may be decreased in relation to a range hood with the grease catcher of the prior art.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a range hood in which the lower surface need not be removed in order to clean the inside of the motor housing.
It is a further object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a range hood, which has increased suction power over prior art range hoods of the same size.
It is a further object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a range hood that has the same suction power as similar sized range hoods according to the prior art, but that produces less noise.
Various aspects of the invention address these objects, but not all aspects of the invention necessarily address all such objects simultaneously. Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the description that follows.
The invention is directed to a motor housing and tray assembly for use in a range hood. According to the invention, the motor housing acts as a grease catcher. Intake openings in the lower surface of the housing are formed by walls that project into the interior of the housing. An extension extends from the wall into the opening and in a downward direction so as to form a gap between the extension and the wall. The housing is shaped so as to direct any accumulated liquid within the housing, such as grease, towards a drainage hole in the lower surface of the housing where the liquid is directed out of the range hood. The walls prevent any liquid from passing back through the opening.
A tray, defined by inner and outer walls, is shaped so that its outer wall may be inserted into the gap in the housing. The tray may have a fan grill attached to it to prevent any body parts from being inserted into any fan operating within the housing. The tray may be releasably connected to the housing by insertion through air inlets in the lower panel of the range hood body. An automatic shutoff switch acts to shut off power to the fans when a tray is disconnected from the housing. The removable lower panel need not be removed in order to remove the tray and clean the interior of the housing.
Alternatively, the fan grill may be attached to the air inlet in the lower panel of the hood body. In this embodiment, the lower panel must be removed in order to releasably connect the tray to the housing.
In one aspect, the invention comprises a motor housing and tray assembly for a range hood where the motor housing generally defines an enclosure and comprises an upper surface and a lower surface. The lower surface has at least one intake opening and at least one drain hole. The intake opening is defined by a wall depending from the lower surface and projecting into the interior of the enclosure. The tray comprises an opening, first and second tray walls extending around the opening, and a floor between the first and second tray walls. The tray is releasably connectable to the intake opening.
Alternative embodiments of the motor housing and tray assembly for a range hood comprise one or more of the following:
a. the wall of the intake opening of the motor housing of the invention has an extension extending toward the intake opening so as to define a gap between the extension and the wall of the intake opening;
b. at least a portion of the extension diverges from the wall of the intake opening to form a wedge surface;
c. the tray is releasably connectable to the intake opening by wedging the second tray wall into the gap;
d. the first tray wall is proximal to the tray opening and the second tray wall is distal from the tray opening in relation to the first tray wall. The second tray wall is shaped and dimensioned so as to be insertable within the intake opening so that at least a portion of the second tray wall is in abutment with at least a portion of the wall of the intake opening, forming a close fit;
e. a grill is connected to the first wall of the tray of the assembly;
f. the tray has a bottom surface, and when the second wall is inserted in the gap, at least a portion of the bottom surface of the tray lies in substantially the same plane as the lower surface; and
g. there are two intake openings, two trays and two drain holes.
In another embodiment, the assembly according to the invention comprises a range hood, motor housing and tray. The range hood generally defines an enclosure and comprises an upper panel and a lower panel. The lower panel has at least one air inlet. The motor housing is connectable to the range hood within the enclosure of the range hood, the motor housing generally defining a further enclosure and comprising an upper surface and a lower surface. The lower surface has at least one intake opening and at least one drain hole. A wall depending from the lower surface and projecting into the interior of the further enclosure defines the intake opening. The tray comprises an opening, a first tray wall extending around and proximal to the tray opening, a second tray wall distal from the tray opening in relation to the first tray wall, and a floor between the first and second tray walls. The second tray wall is shaped and dimensioned so as to be insertable within the gap, forming a close fit. Finally, the tray is releasably connectable to the intake opening.
Further aspects of alternative embodiments of the range hood, housing and tray assembly may comprise one or more of the following:
a. the air inlet is defined by a second wall depending from the lower panel and projecting into the interior of the range hood enclosure;
b. the air inlet and the intake opening are of identical shape, the air inlet being located directly below the intake opening;
c. the tray may be releasably inserted into the air inlet and connected to the intake opening;
d. a grill is connected to the first tray wall;
e. the housing is shaped so as to direct any liquid located within it to the drain hole; and
f. there are two intake openings, two air inlets, two trays and two drain holes.
Other aspects of the invention will be appreciated by reference to the detailed description of the preferred embodiment and to the claims that follow.